Chapter 220 Ugh, This Is Heavy
"You're saying you want to join the [Evil God] subjugation? That's dangerous, isn't it?'"
Instead of Aaron, who was still deploying his thick mental defenses, Fiona gently rejected Chloe's request.
"That's not all; when we set up the teleportation circle on the 46th floor, and when we fought Nord, the situation was different. To defeat the [Evil God], we need to reach the deepest part of the labyrinth... the 50th floor. The danger level is unlike anything we've faced before."
"That's right! With your weak physical strength, you'd just be a hindrance!"
Fiona's persuasion was seconded by Aaron.
On the other hand, Chloe maintained a strong, unyielding expression.
"I'm aware of the danger. I'll do my best to not become a burden. I'll even train my physical strength until the day of the subjugation, and I'll definitely make myself useful with space magic! I'll do anything, no matter how trivial! So, please take me with you!!"
"Why do you want to go that far, Chloe?"
Fiona was puzzled by Chloe's strong determination. Why would Chloe want to join the [Evil God] subjugation so badly? There was no benefit for her if she participated.
In response to Fiona's question, Chloe hesitated slightly before answering.
"It's because... I want to see Sir Jilva again."
"Chloe... Sir Jilva is..."
Fiona didn't say the rest of her sentence. Because Jilva Caduceus had his body taken over by the Chronosphere, and his mind had already been destroyed.
However, even without being told, Chloe understood.
"I understand. The fact that Sir Jilva is no longer here... But, the Chronosphere God shares Sir Jilva's memories, so I want to meet and talk to him one more time. I have something I want to ask."
"But, isn't he our enemy?"
"I understand that too. But, maybe, just maybe, we can avoid fighting. Maybe I can persuade him."
"Persuade... someone who's caused a stampede, created Ickle, and betrayed the Four Houses? I don't think it's possible to persuade him."
"I don't think the chances of success are high either. However, if we go to defeat the [Evil God], the Chronosphere God might appear. And if he's defeated, I'll never have the chance to talk again. That's why..."
Her wish was too sincere, too desperate.
Fiona was surprised that Chloe was so invested in Jilva-Caduceus. It didn't seem like someone who was just an adopted child would have such dedication.
Fiona spoke with difficulty.
"...Even if Chloe can persuade him, we can't forgive the Chronosphere God, right? There's the issue of his lifespan and rampage, and it's impossible to just let him live..."
"Yes, that's obvious. I understand that too."
"Even so, you still want to talk to him?"
"Yes."
The silence was like searching for words.
Chloe knew that her own request was unreasonable. But even so, her determination didn't waver.
"...I want to hear it, but what do you plan to do specifically?"
"It's about forgiving Sir Jilva."
"Forgive...?"
"The truth is, it's not the Chronosphere god's fault that Sir Jilva's mind was broken. I'm the one to blame."
This was a story they'd never heard before.
Fiona's eyes widened in surprise, while Aaron's eyes lit up with understanding.
"No way...Chloe, you...wrote Jilva's novel too...!?"
He stared at the witch with a mix of shock and fear.
So, it was because she wrote a novel using him as the protagonist that Jilva's mind was broken...!!
"No, that's not it!!"
But even Chloe couldn't help but get flustered and shake her head.
"I'm being serious right now!! Don't make light of this!!"
"I'm being serious too!"
"No way, that's impossible!! I did write Sir Jilva's novel, but that has nothing to do with this!!"
"You wrote it, you witch!!"
"I'm not a witch! I just wrote a pure love novel using Sir Jilva and Sir Nacht as models, and it's already been published!! But that was after Sir Jilva's mind was broken, so it's not related!!"
"Y-you even published it...!? You're the worst...!! Pure evil...!!"
Aaron was still shaking with rage at Chloe's actions. How could humans be so cruel and innocent at the same time?
"No way, Mr. Aaron, please be quiet! Let's get back to the conversation!!"
Aaron was so scared that his voice was trembling. Lucia gently patted his head, saying "There, there."
"Gah! ...So, about the reason why Sir Jilva's mind broke down..."
"Yeah, yeah."
Fiona nodded.
"The reason is that I was kidnapped."
"Kidnapped?"
"Yes. It was about 6 years ago, I think? I was kidnapped by people from another country. Normally, with the location tracking feature of the Brain Support Interface, I would've been rescued right away. But the people who kidnapped me had researched the Four Houses quite thoroughly, and developed a way to seal off the Interface's functions."
Chloe explained her own story in a calm tone.
"It wasn't an Anti-Magic Ring, but a more complex device, it seems. They developed a tool that could drain magical energy from people. With that tool's function, I was constantly in a state of magical energy depletion, and temporarily lost my Brain Support Device. I found out later, but it seems that the existence of the Device was also leaked to that country."
The Device is generated by magical energy. In other words, if magical energy is depleted, it can't be maintained.
"So, the Caduceus family, who lost my location, took a little time to find me. But they still managed to track down the kidnappers' trail and rescue me. The place where I was being held was an underground room in the outer districts of Necronia, and the first one to come and rescue me was Sir Jilva."
"......"
"I was asleep from the time I was kidnapped until I was rescued, so I don't remember anything. And Sir Jilva didn't tell me clearly what happened, so I don't know what the kidnappers did to me... but I think they were trying to dissect me or something."
"――――!!"
Fiona gasps.
Chloe speaks calmly, but if help hadn't arrived, who knows what would have happened to her? The thought of her being dissected alive is unbearable. Even just imagining it makes one shudder.
"Mr. Aaron and Ms. Fiona, you saw the scars on my stomach, right? Those are from when I was kidnapped. Normally, potions and healing magic would erase those scars, but because my magical energy was depleted for a long time, the healing effects were slow. Even after I was rescued, my magical energy didn't recover right away, and the potions and healing magic didn't work well. That's why the scars remained."
"......"
There are no words. Fiona can only look at Chloe with a sympathetic gaze.
"So, Sir Jilva, who came to help me, lost his mental balance because of what he saw at that time. For a while, he was overly protective of me due to feelings of guilt for not being able to help me immediately. It's not because my ability was high that I was adopted into the Caduceus main house, but because of what happened at that time."
"Is that so...Chloe, are you okay?"
Just talking about it is painful, Fiona asked, and Chloe laughed with a hint of embarrassment.
"Hehe, it's already been many years, and I don't even remember it, so it's not a trauma for me personally! ...But it's true that Sir Jilva's heart was broken because of what happened. So, even if it's the last thing I do...no, precisely because it's the last thing, I want to properly thank him and apologize for making her worry."
"......I think it's okay if I come along."
Lucia said that after listening to Chloe's story.
"I also know about that time from Ickle's memories. After Chloe was rescued, Jilva was worried about Chloe and had her taken to the underground facility in Chronosphere for treatment."
It's not something you'd say out loud, but for those who were part of the secret society, it's not necessary to explain how extraordinary it was. It just means that Chloe was deeply worried about by Jilva, and also that she was treated specially.
And that's what sparked Ickle's jealousy towards Chloe, fulfilling the conditions for the Supernatural Ability [Shape Shifter] to activate.
"There's a low chance, but maybe, if it's Chloe, she can call out Jilva from within the Chronosphere and persuade her. Even if that's impossible, it's likely that the Chronosphere, which holds Jilva's memories, won't be able to attack Chloe. In other words, even at the worst, we might be able to use her as a shield..."
"A shield!?"
Chloe was shocked by the sudden mention of a shield, but Lucia's words continued.
"That's how important Chloe's existence is within Jilva, and how much he trust her."
"H-huh? Y-yes! I mean, I'm not bragging, but I'm pretty sure Sir Jilva loves me a lot! Even after becoming the Chronosphere god, I'm confident he still cares about me!! I'll do anything, even be a shield!!"
"Well, but... ultimately, it's up to Aaron to decide."
At that, everyone's gaze focused on Aaron.
Aaron, who had been quietly listening to the serious conversation, thought deeply with a solemn expression.
(...)
(...)
(Ugh, this is heavy...)
(No, it's way too heavy... This isn't a conversation for a refreshing morning... Kidnapping and dissection? How am I supposed to react to that?... Help me, someone...?)
Outside, the soft sunlight poured down, casting a refreshing morning atmosphere, but Aaron's facial muscles froze due to the sudden heavy conversation.
Deep down, he wanted to refuse. He wanted to firmly decline the witch's accompaniment.
However, she's trying to wrap up the heavy topic and express her gratitude to Mr. Jilva, and make a decision. Even if she's not serious about being a meat shield, it's hard to say there's no merit in bringing Chloe along.
Above all...
Aaron caught a glimpse of Fiona.
(Ugh, see, I knew it. No mistake... Fiona's sympathizing with Chloe's situation, saying it's okay to bring her along silently...)
"Aaron, Lucia lacks physical strength, and it's not like Chloe can't protect herself. Even if we add one more person, it won't be that much of a burden, right?"
(I'm no longer speechless...)
Aaron made up his mind.
"...If you become a hindrance, I'll send you back right away."
"Mr. Aaron...!! Thank you so much!!"
Chloe bowed her head with enthusiasm.
* * *
After that...
As Lucia said she wanted to have a private conversation with Chloe before she left, only Lucia accompanied her to the entrance.
There, Lucia called out to Chloe's back as she stepped out of the entrance.
"――Chloe."
"Yes... what is it, Lady Lucia?"
It's easy for Chloe to imagine what Lucia wants to say. Lucia deliberately left Aaron and the others inside, wanting to have a private conversation with Chloe.
It's likely related to Chronosphere or Jilva.
So, Chloe steeled herself and waited for Lucia's words. And then――,
"Do you... like romance between men?"
――Completely unexpected!!
Not even close!!
Meanwhile, Chloe, who was asked, didn't look puzzled at all, and responded energetically without any hesitation.
"Yes! Totally!"
"Is that so..."
Lucia gazed at Chloe's eyes, thinking "What beautiful eyes..." There was only pure, innocent emotion in them.
"But why?"
That's why Lucia wanted to hear more. Why did Chloe like this minor genre of male-male romance?
Chloe's answer was clear.
"I don't know! But when I realized it, it was like that. I shouldn't have seen Sir Jilva and Sir Nacht in that way, and I knew that deep down. But even though I knew, my eyes had already started seeing male relationships in that way... Hehe, isn't that weird?"
Chloe's words were spoken with a mix of self-ridicule and anxiety.
Lucia smiled kindly in response.
"It's okay. It's not weird."
Chloe's face brightened up with a big smile when she heard Lucia's gentle words.
"Really?! Do you like it too, Lady Lucia?!"
"Well, I don't dislike it. Even in Age of Gods, there was such a culture."
"Wow! Really?! I want to hear more about that story!"
"Okay. When I have time, I'll tell you more about it."
"Definitely!!"
"Okay. Definitely."
――And with that, Chloe left with more energy than when she came.
Lucia, who saw her off, smiled gently once again.
"Maybe, one of the reasons I came back to life in this era is to inherit Chloe's cultural legacy..."
Lucia wasn't someone who was deeply involved in the rotten culture. However, she did have a certain fondness for Boys' Love (BL).
When the Age of Gods collapsed, that culture was lost, but now, thanks to Chloe, it's being revived and is about to sprout new growth.
Even if it's just knowledge, she can help Chloe, who is a descendant of her sisters, gain power. By teaching various undefined concepts, she can contribute to the development of the rotten culture.
――――I wish Chloe all the best on her journey.
Lucia prayed to some unknown god and closed the door.
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